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British Vodafone Group Plc., the world’s largest operator of mobile communication, has declared sale of 25 percent share holding of the leading Belgian operator of mobile communication Proximus to Belgian company Belgacom SA for 2 billion euro. Such data contain in the message of the British company published today.
Earlier Belgacom owned 75% of Proximus stocks. The transaction should be approved by adjusting bodies. The transaction is to be completed by December, 31st 2006.
In addition to this transaction Vodafone and Proximus have signed the agreement on partnership for the period of 5 years. This agreement allows users of the Belgian operator to continue usage of Vodafone products and services, such as service on uploading multimedia products Vodafone live!, Vodafone Mobile Connect Card, Blackberry and international roaming.

The world leader in the sphere of development of the software for personal computers company Microsoft Corp. will let out this week in South Korea two special versions of operational systems (OS) Windows according to the decision of antimonopoly body of the country, informs Associated Press referring to the data received from an anonymous source in the company.
Release of special versions of OS Windows (one - without preestablished programs Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger, another - with references to pages on the Internet where users could download alternative versions of these programs), has been ordered in February of 2006 the decision of the Korean antimonopoly department - the Commission on fair trade - in connection with that the American company abused the leading position in the market of the country, imposing some kinds of the software to the buyers, using operational system Windows. In this connection the corporation should pay the penalty at a rate of 32.5 billion (34 million dollars), and also till August, 24th of 2006 should start to give to buyers 2 special versions of OS Windows.
The company has gone on this step after in the beginning of July of 2006 the South-Korean court has rejected the appeal of the company for a delay of application of sanctions till the moment when proceeding in this occasion will be completed. The company has agreed to execute sanctions inflicted it, intending, nevertheless, to continue protection of own position in the judicial order.
Meanwhile Microsoft it is involved in similar antimonopoly process in the Europe. In July of 2006 antimonopoly adjusting bodies of the European Union (EU) have passed the decision on imposing the penalty on Microsoft at a rate of 280.5 million euro (357 million dollars) for default of the decision of court from 2004. The court has obliged the company to give to competitors the information on program codes of system Windows. This decision has been delivered after in December 2005 the European Commission has published the application in which it was marked, that Microsoft has not executed the decision of the court which has been delivered in March 2004 when the American company have accused of abusing a leading position in the market of EU and have obliged to pay the penalty at a rate of 497 million euro, and also to give to competitors an initial code of server OS. Microsoft has paid the penalty; however, in opinion of European Commission, regarding disclosing an initial code the company has not given exact and trustworthy information.
In case Microsoft and in the further will not carry out judgments, it is threatened with new collecting - on 3 million dollars a day, since July, 31st 2006.

The nearest years the government of Iraq plans to construct some new oil refining factories, and also to modernize already existing, to start to export gasoline and other products of oil refining to 2010. Minister of oil of Iraq Hussein Al-Shahristani has made such statement today.
As he said, construction of largest of new factories nearby 140 thousand barrel per day will be completed by capacity to 2009-2010. The exact site of a factory is not specified yet; however it is known, that it will be in one of the central areas of the country. One more factory (capacity nearby 70 thousand barrel per day), according to minister, is planned to construct near to settlement Koja in the north of Iraq. After 2010 construction of a large factory by capacity nearby 300 thousand barrel per day in An-Nasria is planned, informs Associated Press.
Besides, as minister has noted, is planned to modernize and expand already existing oil refining factories in Baidga, Dora and Basra, having increased manufacture on each of them on 700 thousand barrel per day. “Thus, to 2009-2010 national manufacture of mineral oil will allow to cover internal demand, and to 2010-2011 we shall be ready to start to export mineral oil”, - minister has concluded.
Hussein Al-Shahristani also has confirmed plans of the government to lift a level of oil extracting in the country from existing 2 up to 3 million barrel per day already by the end current year. Iraq takes the third place in the world on volume of the proved oil stocks. After the American intrusion in 2003 extraction has decreased on third, and attacks of insurgents complicate work of oil refining factories therefore in the country there was a sharp shortage of gasoline and diesel fuel.
As for the World prices for oil on August, 21st 2006 they have considerably risen. On results of the trades at leading oil stock exchanges Inter Continental Exchange Futures (ICE Futures - London) and New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX - New York) the official prices of oil futures of the nearest month of delivery have accordingly made - IPE Brent Crude - $73,38 (+1,08) for barrel - Light Sweet Crude Oil - $72,45 (+1,31) for barrel.

The management of American computer giant Microsoft Corp. has made changes to the program under the back baying of the stocks. According to representatives of the company, by the moment of end on August, 17th 2006 declared in July of 2006 “The Dutch auction” (to public sale at which the auctioneer gradually reduces the declared price, there will be no yet a buyer) it has been redeemed stocks only on 3.8 billion dollars.
Before the beginning of auction Microsoft intended to redeem securities not less than on 20 billion dollars. In this connection the company has declared plans to redeem till June, 30th 2011 securities (within the limits of the long-term program of the repayment of stocks) for a total sum of 36.2 billion dollars, that almost twice surpasses proposed earlier, Associated Press informs. In July 2006 Microsoft has declared intention to redeem till August, 17th 2006 during “the Dutch auction” securities for the sum nearby 20 billion dollars. Besides, the company plans to redeem securities on 20 billion dollars till June, 30th 2011.

American motorcar giant Ford Motor Co. has informed today, that volume of manufacture in 4th quarter of 2006 in Northern America will decrease on 21% in comparison with this indication for the same period of the last year. Thus, last 3 months of current year the company will let out on realization on 168 thousand cars less, than year earlier. The volume of manufacture on results of 3rd quarter will decrease on 20 thousand cars in comparison with the same period of 2005. On results of 2006 the volume of manufacture of Ford will decrease on 9% in annual calculation, informs Associated Press.
“This is heavy decision which will affect our employees and suppliers negatively. On the other hand, it is unique a true step from the point of view of long-term prospects”, - the general director of concern Bill Ford has declared.
Earlier in some American mass-media there was information that on a background of chronic losses of Ford also has made a decision on the further reductions of the personnel: nearby 6 thousand persons, mainly management will lose the workplaces in the near future. It will allow Ford to cut down expenses on the salary to employees for 10-30%.
On July, 20th 2006 Ford Motor has unpleasantly surprised investors, having informed about quarter losses, that the majority of analysts predicted profit. And in 2 weeks the company has recognized, that the size of losses has appeared almost in 2 times more, than has been specified in the financial report - 254 million dollars, or 14 cents in recalculation one stock, instead of 123 million dollars, or 7 cents on the stock. Thus the sales volume was reduced to 7% in annual calculation, and proceeds - on 6%. Ford has explained revision of parameters by increase in annual charges on reduction of pensions: instead of the dollars planned 1 billion the corresponding program will cost the companies 1.2 billion dollars.
In the last half of a year Ford has closed 14 automobile factories and than 30 thousand employees has been dismissed in Northern America within the limits of the scale of plan of re-structuring which has been accepted in the end of 2005.

The trial jury has recognized American pharmaceutical company Merck and Co. guilty on case about soothing preparation Vioxx which became the reason of heart attack at the 62-years former agent of FBI Gerald Barnetta in July of 2002. Jury have found, that the company has not given to doctors full and a trustworthy information about danger which bears use of a medicine and consequently should pay to the victim 50 million dollars of indemnification, informs Associated Press.
Scandal with soothing preparation Vioxx has caused the big resonance in pharmaceutical branch of the USA. Vioxx has been withdrawn from the world markets on September, 30th 2004. After publication of the information that long reception of a preparation twice increases risk of heart attacks and insults.
It is not the unique claim against Merck in the given occasion (one in federal court and four - in courts of states New Jersey and California). The company has won 5 previous processes, for 3 processes (two - in court of Texas and one – in New Jersey) - has lost. The verdict about guilt of the company has been born when use of a preparation became the reason of death or heavy mutilations victims. In these cases as indemnification moral and a material damage the company has been obliged to pay significant fines. So, in August 2005 during consideration of this case at the court of state of Texas the decision to recognize the company guilty of Robert Ernest’s death was accepted and to oblige to pay to the widow of the victim 253.4 million dollars of indemnification of moral and a material damage.

The manufacturer of cars Hyundai Motor Co largest in South Korea does not plan to buy British Jaguar, belonging to Ford Motor Co. Representatives Hyundai today have informed on it. As they said, the company considered an opportunity of purchase of any automobile brand of a class luxe, and among applicants was Jaguar, however later these plans has been decided to refuse in favour of increase in volume of manufacture at factories Hyundai outside of South Korea. Now Hyundai except for the factories located in South Korea, has factories on manufacture of cars in the USA, China, India and Turkey, informs Associated Press.
On August, 2nd 2006 in a number of the American mass-media there were data that American motorcar giant Ford Motor Co. considers an opportunity of sale of division on manufacture of cars Jaguar and of some other divisions which maintenance is unprofitable to the company. Among them also are financial division Ford Credit. Under the same data, on a background of chronic losses management Ford Motor reflects on creation of an alliance with other motor-car manufacturers by an example of other leader of the American car industry - General Motors which negotiates for cooperation with Renault and Nissan. Official representatives of the company refuse to make comments on these messages.

Net profit of one of leaders in the USA manufacturers of computers - Dell - in the first half of 2006-2007 which has come to the end on August, 4th, reduced to 35% and has made 1.26 billion dollars against 1.95 billion dollars received for first six months of 2005-2006. Such data are resulted in the financial report of the company published today.
The proceeds have grown on 6% - up to 28.3 billion dollars whereas year earlier this parameter made 26.8 billion dollars. Net profit of Dell in 2nd quarter of 2006-2007 was reduced for 51% - up to 502 million dollars against 1.02 billion dollars fixed on year earlier. Proceeds of Dell for 2nd quarter of current fiscal year have increased for 5% - up to 14.1 billion dollars in comparison to 13.4 billion dollars received for the similar period on year earlier.

Net profit of the largest Swiss insurance company Zurich Financial Services Group AG in the first half of 2006 has grown on 8% - up to 2 billion dollars in comparison to 1.86 billion dollars for the similar period of the last year.
The proceeds for the accounting period have decreased on 8.5% - from 31.86 billion dollars up to 29.15 billion dollars. Such data contain in the report of the company published today. Results of financial activity of the company have appeared above forecasts of analysts.